Range Report - Getting Ready For the SASS TN Long Distance State Match

[PvtGreg]

Hello All,

I took the Spencer with firing pin I straightened to the 100 yrd range today & shot 10 out of it.  The attached is the result .  The target face here is the exact size of the smallest 100 yrd plate.

The repaired pin worked well, so I hope it holds up or my replacement pins get here by Weds.  

One thing I noticed that I believe is the reason I bent the pin.  I was shooting new Starline brass.  One of the cases had a rim that I believe was a bit thick.  I noticed this when I closed the action and kind of felt it didn't close all the way.  

When I shot that one I noticed the indent on the primer was on the edge of the primer right next to the pocket.  I now believe that the pin bent when it hit the primer pocket edge and not because the anvil plate came loose and anvil hit the pin wrong.  Or maybe it was a bit of both.  Either way when I worked the lever up hard the offset primer hit went away.  Also firing forming the brass helps seems to help on new cases that are a bit thick.  I measured some new un-fired Starline and the new ones I just fired today and noticed on a couple of the new cases the rims were a bit thicker.

Load - 350 gr bullet, 8.8 gr Trailboss, Starline Brass.  BTW the three in the center were the last three!  All ten were shot sitting at a bench, but not sand- bagged, just with my elbows resting on the table.  So not quite off hand, but not full benched either .

Wish me luck!

[PvtGreg]

Hello Everyone,

Well I back from the TN State SASS match.  I won the off hand 200 yard single shot rifle competition with a 1873 Trapdoor Springfield with a clean run.

I came in third in the 100 yard lever action match using my 56-50 Chiappa Spencer rifle.  I shot 350Gr Flat point Bullet (RCBS-82309) 2% tin over 8.8gr of Trailboss with a heavy crimp in Starline brass. 

I shot the three stages (initial, semi and final) clean.  There were 4 shooters out of I think 15 that shot the initial stage clean, then three shooters including myself that shot the semifinal stage clean.  We all shot the final stage clean, but the final is not only scored but timed.  I shot the last stage (5 aimed shots) in 24 seconds & came in third.  I was beat by two Winchesters with times of 22 & 13 seconds.  I tell you those Winchester shooters with the $500 sights were surprised with how fast I cycles those rounds through that Spencer.  I gave those boys a run for their money using the standard Spencer sight!  It was really sweet.

No problems from my repaired firing pin.  I also shot the Cowboy (classic cowboy category) match with the Spencer - all my stage times were between 59 and 66 sec so I was pleased with the times.  The Spencer always excites comment.  I got to shoot through with 5 other posses besides my assigned one and got lots of nice comments.  On one stage I actually knocked a (steel) stick mounted plate back about half a foot.  Got a nice "woo" on that one!  Ground was soft though so maybe not that impressive.

It was a fantastic shoot.

Pvt Greg